Under the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 2,868,724 (McDevitt) discloses a device for filtering and demineralizing water on a batch scale, containing inter alia, ion exchange resin and filters. A color indicator mark on the container signals need for replacement when color of effluent water matches color of the indicator mark.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,038,610 (Hetherington) discloses a deionization unit containing as an ion exchange resin a material having "high-swelling" properties which, upon a change in the pH of the liquid passing therethrough, swells to block the flow indicating exhaustion of the ion exchange capacity of the resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,057 (Stanley) discloses a portable water conditioner comprising, in addition to the usual inlet/outlet fixtures: screens, activated charcoal and ion exchange resins. It also includes an indicator which signals when a predetermined mass of filtrates has accumulated. A companion patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,123 also to Stanley, discloses a simplified and improved apparatus for regeneration of the ion exchange resins such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,051.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,134 (Hassinger) discloses a water treatment apparatus attachable to a faucet to improve the taste of water containing screens, activated charcoal, sand and limestone particles. U.S. Pat. No. 1,774,004 (Haslett), U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,002 (Mauro) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,809 (McPherren) disclose apparatus having various combinations of screens, filters, activated charcoal, and ion exchange resins for the filtering or treating of water.
Nowhere is disclosed the combination of water purification in the same module with a powdered cleaning compound which dissolves into the water leaving the filter as a cleaner.
It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for field cleaning of hoses or tubing with minimum disassembly and reassembly of the hoses or tubing being cleaned. It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for field cleaning of hoses or tubing which uses available water sources for the water to be used in cleaning the hoses or tubing.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus which can be used by relatively unskilled or low skilled personnel in performing the task of cleaning field hoses or tubing and disposed of when cleaning is completed.